Acclima Solar datasnap acc-agr-d02s User manual

USER MANUAL

Solar DataSnap

SDI-12 Data Recorder

Model # ACC-AGR-D02S

USER MANUAL

Table of Contents

Introduction................................................................................................ 4

Supported Sensors.................................................................................... 5

Description of Solar Data Snap ................................................................. 5

Connections............................................................................................ 6

Status Lights........................................................................................... 6

A Word About Operating Temperature ................................................... 7

Snapview Software & Driver Installation.................................................... 7

Using Acclima Snapview Software .......................................................... 11

Add Acclima Sensors ........................................................................... 12

Add non-Acclima Sensors .................................................................... 12

Modifying Sensor Settings.................................................................... 13

Selecting Acclima Moisture Sensor Locations...................................... 13

Physically Installing Acclima Moisture Sensors .................................... 14

Wiring Sensors to the SDI-12 Port........................................................ 14

Configuration ........................................................................................ 15

Connecting to a DataSnap.................................................................... 17

System Configuration Settings ............................................................. 17

Validating Sensors................................................................................ 20

Automatic Data Synchronization........................................................... 20

Read Sensors Manually ....................................................................... 21

Copying Sensor Data ........................................................................... 23

View Graphs......................................................................................... 23

Graphing Sensor Data.......................................................................... 24

Gather Data from Micro USB Thumb Drive .......................................... 26

Viewing and Working with Data............................................................ 28

Exporting Sensor Data ......................................................................... 31

Tools..................................................................................................... 32

Waveform Capture and Graphing in Snapview for Advanced Users ....... 32

Upgrading/Installing Your SnapView Software and the Firmware of

DataSnap Data Logger......................................................................... 33

Opening the Waveform Capture Module in SnapView ......................... 34

Capturing a Sensor Waveform ............................................................. 35

The Legend .......................................................................................... 37

Deleting a Waveform ............................................................................ 37

Zooming................................................................................................ 38

Saving to CSV File ............................................................................... 38

Loading from a CSV File ...................................................................... 38

Technical Specifications of the Solar Datasnap ...................................... 39

Physical Characteristics ....................................................................... 39

USER MANUAL

Environmental....................................................................................... 39

Electrical Specification.......................................................................... 40

USER MANUAL

Introduction

The Acclima Solar DataSnap is a simple-to-use data recorder. It provides

the ability to read and log data from a variety of SDI-12 sensors.

Convenient, fast data collection is supported through a micro-USB thumb

drive. Alternatively, the Solar DataSnap can be attached via USB directly

to a Windows PC laptop to which the data can be downloaded and viewed

from the SnapView software. Each Solar DataSnap supports up to 10

SDI-12 sensors.

The Solar DataSnap handles all timing requirements of the SDI-12

communications protocol, making it possible to take SDI-12 sensor

readings using a simple terminal program such as HyperTerminal or

PuTTy.

Solar DataSnap Hardware Features

•Data logging

•USB to SDI-12 Bridge

•Supports charging of Lithium Ion battery cell through solar or USB

connection

•Short circuit protection

•Acclima SnapView software provided

•Compatible with terminal software applications like HyperTerminal

or PuTTy

•Simple configuration. The Solar DataSnap collects up to five data

points from the SDI-12 “M!” command from every sensors one

every interval.

SnapView Software Features

•Automatically synchronizes all connected DataSnaps

•Manual reading of sensors

•Supports connecting to an unlimited number of DataSnaps

•Setup wizard for simple DataSnap configuration

What is included?

•DataSnap motherboard and processor

•1 pluggable terminal block for the SDI-12 connection

•USB cable, type A to micro

•18650 lithium ion battery cell

•Solar panel attached to a NEMA weather resistant polycarbonate

enclosure

•One and ¼” male terminal adapter with lock nut and 45° PVC elbow

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Supported Sensors

The Acclima Solar DataSnap will support all SDI-12 sensors that are

compatible with versions 1.0 through 1.4 of the SDI-12 Protocol

Specification, including all Acclima SDI-12 sensors. However, the Solar

DataSnap only reads and records the first five data points of the SDI-12

M! command.The Solar DataSnap’s internal data recording functions do

not support reading or recording of any other data points.

The Solar DataSnap is limited to 500mA. Some sensors with higher

power requirements may require an external power connection.

The Acclima SnapView software supports all SDI-12 sensor types.

Description of Solar Data Snap

Micro USB Port

Solar Power Port

SDI-12 Connection

Terminal Block

LED Status Indicators

Battery Cell

& Cradle

Power On/Off Switch

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Connections

The Solar DataSnap has the following connections:

USB

After software installation, the included USB cable can be used to

connect to a PC or a micro-USB spin thumb drive can be plugged in to

automatically download the csv data files for a spreadsheet program.

SDI-12

The terminal block can be unplugged from the DataSnap while wiring

sensors together. Multiple sensors can be wired in parallel to the same

SDI-12 port.

Solar Power Port

This connection from the Solar Panel provides 5-10 volts for the battery

cell charging circuit.

Note: Turn the On/Off Switch to ‘ON’ at the beginning of a data collection

cycle. Turn to ‘OFF’ when storing the logger in the Winter.

Status Lights

The Solar DataSnap utilized 4 status LEDs as follows:

Charging LED

The green charging LED will illuminate when the charging circuit is active.

This will occur with voltage applied from the Solar Panel, or when plugged

into a USB power source.

USB LED

The green USB LED will illuminate when there is an active USB

connection. This occurs when connected to a computer with proper

drivers installed, or it occurs when a USB Thumb drive is plugged in and in

use. The light will be on solid to show a valid connection has been

established and will blink when there is activity over the USB connection.

When using a USB charger, the USB light will not turn on, because there

is no valid usable USB connection present. However, the charging light

will come on to indicate that power is being drawn from the USB charger

to charge the battery.

When using a thumb drive:

Plug in the USB thumb drive firmly into the micro-USB port. Wait a

second to allow the USB connection to stabilize and link to the drive. The

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USB light should then come on and blink to indicate data flow to the thumb

drive. When the LED turns off and stays off, the thumb drive can be

removed.

Error LED

The red error LED on the Solar DataSnap performs the same function as

on the original DataSnap – reporting communication errors and short

circuit errors.

SDI-12 LED

The green SDI-12 LED will be off when the SDI-12 port is not active.

When the port is active, the LED will turn on and will blink when there is

communications traffic over the SDI-12 bus.

Power ON Battery Test

When turned on, the green USB and SDI-12 LEDs will flash together to

indicate power is present. If the battery voltage is low, the red error LED

will flash once.

A Word About Operating Temperature

The Acclima Solar DataSnap has physical limitations on what temperature

range it will fully operate in. If it will be used in freezing weather (≤0°C or

≤32°F) for extended periods of time, the end-user should plan to

periodically have the lithium-ion 18650 battery swapped out for a fully

charged replacement because the battery charging circuit is disabled at

0°C and 32°F. The battery will still run the data logger for the duration of

the remaining charge, but it will not get recharged at or below those

temperatures. Note: When recharging backup batteries in a desktop

charger, care should be taken to allow the batteries to warm up to room

temperature before recharging them or the battery could be permanently

damaged.

Similarly, if the temperature inside the enclosure exceeds 50°C or 122°F

the battery will stop charging.

SnapView Software & Driver Installation

The SnapView software must be installed prior to connecting the Data

Snap to the computer. The Data Snap requires a Windows™ driver to be

installed before use. The driver is installed during the installation of the

SnapView software.

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Once the software is installed, connect the Data Snap to the computer via

a USB cable. Windows™ will automatically detect the new Data Snap

hardware and will attempt to find the appropriate driver. This driver

installation process will only occur once per Data Snap. Each new Data

Snap will follow the same process.

IMPORTANT NOTE! Be sure to install the SnapView™software

before connecting the DataSnap to your PC’s USB port!

Where to Find the Free Download

The SnapView software can be downloaded from

https://www.acclima.com/sdiproducts under Solar DataSnap.

Minimum System Requirements

•Microsoft Windows 7™, Windows 8™, or Windows 10™ operating

systems <<<(Note: The screenshots and steps below may vary

slightly depending on which version of Windows™you’re

using.)>>>

•50 MB hard drive space

•Available USB port

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Figure 2

Installing the driver on Windows™

When the Data Snap is first connected to the computer, it will

automatically be detected and the installation of the driver will begin.

Windows™ will then search for the driver in its preconfigured driver

folders. This will happen because the driver was installed to this location

when the SnapView software was installed.

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Figure 3

Once the driver is found and installed, the Data Snap will be assigned to a

port and will be available for use. In figure 3, the DataSnap has been

assigned to a port. The driver is now installed and ready for use. Click the

‘Finish’ button.

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Figure 4

To view more details about the port, open the ‘Device Manger’ in the

Control Panel. The Data Snap is visible in the Device Manager under the

‘Ports (COM & LPT)’ heading. The Device Manager only shows ports that

are active. When the Data Snap is disconnected from the computer, it will

no longer be visible in the Device Manager.

Using Acclima SnapView Software

The Acclima SnapView software provides four important functions:

1. DataSnap configuration – configuring a DataSnap for operation

2. Automatic data synchronization – data retrieval from all connected

DataSnaps

3. Manual sensor reading – user-initiated sensor readings

4. Data analysis – synchronized sensor data analysis

The DataSnap can communicate with and read any type of SDI-12 sensor.

It is not limited to Acclima sensors. The DataSnap must be configured to

know which sensors to read. This is easily done in the ‘Configuration’

section of the SnapView software. To add sensors, go to the ‘Sensors’

USER MANUAL

screen and click ‘Add Acclima Sensors’ or the ‘Add a Single Sensor’ at the

bottom of the screen.

The SDI-12 protocol does not provide a way to search for multiple

connected sensors. Therefore, only one sensor can be connected to the

DataSnap when adding a sensor. This is only true for non-Acclima

sensors and requires the use of the ‘Add a Single Sensor’ option.

Acclima has engineered a more efficient and intelligent way to configure

multiple Acclima sensors simultaneously. This significantly simplifies the

configuration process and is done using the ‘Add Acclima Sensors’ option.

The process for adding sensors to a DataSnap is as follows:

Add Acclima Sensors

To add one or more Acclima sensors to the DataSnap:

•Wire each Acclima sensor to the DataSnap as described in the

‘Wiring Sensors to the SDI-12 Port’ section below

•Click the ‘Add Acclima Sensors’ button

•Each Acclima sensor is automatically detected and added to the

DataSnap. Each newly added sensor is configured with a set of

default properties that can be changed at any time. This is

addressed later in this document.

Add non-Acclima Sensors

Each non-Acclima sensor must be added individually to the DataSnap. To

add a non-Acclima sensor to the DataSnap:

•Physically disconnect the wires of all existing sensors from the

DataSnap

•Wire the new sensor to the DataSnap as described in the ‘Wiring

Sensors to the SDI-12 Port’ section below

•Click the ‘Add a Single Sensor’ button

•The sensor is detected automatically and added to the DataSnap.

The newly added sensor is configured with a set of default

properties. These can be changed at any time.

•Repeat the above steps for each non-Acclima sensor

The DataSnap does not support duplicate serial numbers. If there are

multiple sensors with the same serial number, the sensor that was

configured last will be used.

USER MANUAL

Modifying Sensor Settings

Each sensor has its own unique set of reading descriptions which can be

modified. This includes a descriptive sensor name and descriptive names

for each of the 5 sensor readings. To modify sensor settings click on the

sensor in the ‘Configured Sensors’ list. The details for the selected sensor

will display. Make any desired changes and click the ‘Save’ button.

When a sensor is added, its reading descriptions are automatically set

based on the defaults for this type of sensor. These default reading

descriptions can be modified or removed using the ‘Manage Reading

Descriptions’ screen in the Tools menu. If there are no defaults for a

particular sensor type, SnapView can automatically create them. This

occurs the first time a user enters reading descriptions on the ‘Sensor

Details’ window and clicks ‘Save’. For more details, see the ‘Using

Acclima SnapView Software’ section later in this document.

There may be times when it is necessary to remove a configured sensor

since it is no longer needed or to make room for a new sensor. This is

easily done by clicking the ‘Remove Sensor from DataSnap’ button at the

top of the ‘Sensor Details’ window. This does not remove any data from

the PC, it only removes it from the configuration on the DataSnap.

Selecting Acclima Moisture Sensor Locations

Sensors should be located in the region of interest where soil moisture

measurements are desired. Acclima sensors measure the average

volumetric water content over the length of the sensor rods. Sensors can

be buried in any orientation and will produce average readings as follows:

•Flat and Horizontal: Provides a moisture reading at a discrete

depth. This orientation is frequently used when monitoring plants

with shallow roots such as turf, or when multiple sensors are used

to create a soil moisture profile vs. depth.

•Vertical: Provides an average moisture reading over a depth of

about 6 inches. Often used when monitoring deeper root systems

such as trees.

•Edge-Horizontal or diagonal: Provides an average moisture

reading over a variable depth from 1 to 6 inches.

When selecting a site for sensor placement, consider the following

environmental factors:

•Non-permeable surfaces such as rocks and roads can generate

runoff and cause variation in moisture content nearby.

•Depressions and the base of slopes tend to collect excess

moisture.

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•Peaks of slopes, south or west facing hillsides, and areas where

reflected light is focused tend to dry out more quickly.

•If monitoring plant conditions, the sensor must be buried among the

roots of the plant of interest. Otherwise, the effects of transpiration

will not be measured.

Physically Installing Acclima Moisture Sensors

The Acclima Soil Moisture sensors report soil moisture as a percentage of

the total volume measured. This means that the measured volume of soil

should be free of foreign objects or variations that may alter the

measurement made by the sensor. Consider the following conditions:

•Avoid placing the sensor near rocks or other similar objects

•Small roots near the sensor are acceptable. Avoid large woody

roots

•Do not create air pockets or voids near the sensor rods during

installation

•Compact the soil firmly around the sensor rods. Attempt to

duplicate the original compaction before the sensor was installed so

that the moisture reading will be representative of the surrounding

soil. (Lighter compaction means more air in the soil which means

lower water content by volume since the water is displaced by air).

Wiring Sensors to the SDI-12 Port

SDI-12 sensors communicate and

draw power from the same wires.

They share the connection to the

Solar DataSnap with all other

sensors connected to the same

Solar DataSnap. This type of a

connection is sometimes called

‘parallel’ or ‘bussed’. Sensors can

be spliced or connected together at

a single common point or as taps

into a longer run of wire. Upon

wiring completion: Figure 5 – Five SDI-12 Ports

•every sensor red wire has electrical contact with the red ‘Power’

terminal

•every sensor white wire has electrical contact with the white ‘Com’

terminal

•every sensor blue wire has electrical contact with the blue ‘Data’

terminal

Figure 5 – SDI-12 Port

USER MANUAL

Consider the following points when wiring sensors:

•The maximum wire length from a sensor to the Solar DataSnap is

200 feet.

•For convenience, the green terminal block can be removed from

the SDI-12 port while wires are connected to it. Simply pull on the

block to remove it from the inside of the Solar DataSnap. To

connect the terminal block, insert it back into the Solar DataSnap

with the screws facing right.

•One to two sensors can easily be wired directly into the green

terminal block as shown in figure 5 above. To do this, insert all red

wires into the topmost portion of the terminal block and tighten the

screw to secure them in place. Repeat the procedure for the white

wires in the middle portion of the block and the blue wires in the

bottom portion of the block.

Figure 6 – Basic wiring diagram

•When connecting up to 10 sensors to one Solar DataSnap, a wire

splice may be necessary. This can be done by connecting all the

red sensor wires to a separate, single wire and then connecting the

single new wire to the terminal block in the appropriate position.

Follow the same procedure to connect the white and blue wires.

The wiring should look like figure 5. When the block is connected to

the Solar DataSnap, the location of the colored wires must match

the colors on the DataSnap.

Configuration

A DataSnap must be configured prior to its first use. The

SnapView software guides you through the configuration process

in a few simple steps. To access the Configuration screen, click

on the ‘Config’ button at the top of the screen. This will display the

Configuration wizard.

The SDI-12 protocol requires that a sensor be given a specific address. All

communication with a sensor is based on this address. When a sensor is

added to a DataSnap, the sensor’s address is stored in the DataSnap.

USER MANUAL

This is how the DataSnap knows which sensors to read. It is important to

understand that if a DataSnap has been configured and is then connected

to a different set of sensors, the configuration must be changed

accordingly. If this is not done, data from two sensors may become

merged and there will be no way to know which reading came from which

sensor. This can occur when a sensor from the original set and a sensor

from the new set share the same address. The DataSnap reads sensors

by address (an SDI-12 limitation) and returns data for the serial number of

the configured sensor. The DataSnap does not know that the sensor is not

what was originally configured. Performing a sensor validation can assist

with this.

Figure 7 – Configuration

For a DataSnap to automatically take sensor readings or allow a user to

read sensors manually, it must be configured. The most important step is

to tell the DataSnap what sensors to read. This requires that the sensors

be connected to the DataSnap during the configuration process. It is also

important to provide a name for the DataSnap and to define how

frequently it will take automatic readings. DataSnap configuration settings

are stored on the DataSnap and are retained even when power is

removed. The configuration wizard is divided into four steps:

•Connect

•System Configuration

•Sensors

•Validation

USER MANUAL

Connecting to a DataSnap

The initial configuration screen shows all DataSnaps that are currently

connected to the computer. See figure 7. To begin configuring a

DataSnap, click the ‘Connect’ button next to the desired DataSnap. The

name of the connected DataSnap will appear on left side of the screen

and the ‘Next’ button is enabled. Use the ‘Next’ and ‘Previous’ buttons to

move through the configuration steps. All configuration operations will be

performed on the connected DataSnap.

Click the ‘Refresh List” button to scan the computer for DataSnaps and

update the connection list.

System Configuration Settings

The system configuration screen allows modification of several DataSnap

settings and operations. They are:

•Name – This is the descriptive name for the DataSnap. This is how

the DataSnap will be identified throughout the SnapView software.

The DataSnap’s unique system id is also shown but it cannot be

changed.

•Interval -This is the number of minutes between automatic sensor

readings. Figure 9 shows an unnamed DataSnap that is configured

to take a new set of readings every 20 minutes. This interval is

measured from the beginning of the previous cycle to the beginning

of the subsequent cycle. For example, if the first automatic reading

cycle begins at 10am and takes one minute to complete. The

second automatic reading cycle will begin at 10:20am.

•SDI-12 Idle Power – This option allows the configuration to keep

bus power on constantly if needed by a third-party sensor. Acclima

sensors don’t need this, so it is preferrable to keep this set to ‘OFF’

unless it is absolutely needed.

•Status Logging--A new feature was included in the Solar

DataSnap and added to the DataSnap that allows monitoring of the

conditions under which the unit is operating. A new Flag was

added to the CONFIG command that was not previously present.

When upgrading from an older version, this flag will default to OFF.

All versions of the Solar DataSnap will include this feature.

Example command line:

CONFIG STATUS_LOG=ON

When the STATUS_LOG flag is set to ON, the logger will measure

and record local status information at the end of every sensor

measurement interval. Data includes:

Total Logging Time (units = milliseconds, resolution = 1)

USER MANUAL

oThis it the time elapse while reading sensors this last

interval

Battery or Input Voltage (units = Volt, resolution = 0.1)

Box Temperature (units = degrees C, resolution = 0.1)

oSolar DataSnap only

SDI-12 Current (units = mA, resolution = 0.1)

oSolar DataSnap only

Average SDI-12 Measurement Current

oFUTURE -- Currently not supported by any device

•System Time – This sets the system time on the DataSnap. The

DataSnap’s current time will be displayed. Click the ‘Synchronize’

button to set the time on the DataSnap to the same time as the

connected PC. See figure 8.

Figure 8 - System Time

•Advanced Options – Click on ‘Advanced Options’ to display

additional operations.

oPurge Logs – This will delete all logs in the memory of the

DataSnap. It will not remove any logs stored on the PC.

oFactory Reset – This will delete all configuration and logs

on the DataSnap, thus restoring it to its original factory

settings.

USER MANUAL

Figure 9 - System Configuration

Always click the ‘Save’ button to save the changes to the Name and

Interval settings.

Figure 10 - Adding Sensors

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Figure 12 - Synchronization

Validating Sensors

Sensor validation provides a simple way to verify that all configured

sensors are correctly wired into the DataSnap and match the DataSnap’s

configuration.

Connect all sensors to the DataSnap and click the ‘Validate’ button. The

DataSnap will attempt to find and validate each of it configured sensors.

Sensors that are found and match the DataSnap configuration are

annotated with a green check mark. Sensors that are not found or do not

match the configuration show a red X and an error description. See figure

11.

Figure 11 - Sensor Validation

Automatic Data Synchronization

The SnapView software regularly attempts to

synchronize with all connected DataSnaps. This

occurs in the background and is therefore no

user interaction is required. During

synchronization, a green status icon is displayed

in the upper right corner of the screen. Hovering

the mouse over the icon displays the number of

logs that still need to be retrieved from the

DataSnap as shown in figure 12.

Table of contents

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